My Brothers Keeper
by Therabidsquirrel
Summary: Very dark. A bad time in Nosedive's past and Wildwing's first time of showing any hint of DuCaine powers. Rated for mention of abuse and rape, but does not go into any detail. winces sorry, but this is really dark...


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My Brother's Keeper

*** 

Hmmm. Another fic, that isn't 'Beginning of an End'. For those of you who are seriously in wanting for the next chapter on that one, I must tell you wait a little longer. I'm multitasking. ^-^ Chapter five is coming and it's going to be pretty long so… hopefully ya'll won't be too disappointed when I post it.

Sadly, this fic has a lot of bad things happening in it, and frankly I have no clue where it all actually came from. Probably from too many fics with Nosedive getting beaten. Well, there's always a reason for nightmares, no matter how hard your mind tries to repress the memories. There are just some things we all wish we could forget, and then we are tortured by that evil muscle that resides in what we call the head.

Thanks a billion to Akima who helped me big time on this fic by reading it and giving me lots of good advice on it when I felt it was missing something. And thanks to my sister and my best friend, both of whom read this fic when I first started it and gave me their honest opinions. I'm sorry for this fic only because it is so dark. The lesson is, never go anywhere with a stranger. Never. Words of wisdom…

*** 

Mighty Ducks belongs to Disney. 

*** 

"Ew! Gross!" came the sound of a young boy.

"It's just paste." A woman's voice giggled. 

"Still. It looks like melted packing clay."

"Oh you! Get out of here before I tell your father what you said about my cookie paste."

"He's not here. So you can't tell him." There was a grin that shined through in the boy's words.

"That's it! Come here you!"

"AH! NOT THE HAIR!!" laughter that told he was being tickled followed the exclamation. Wildwing sniffled as he shuffled into the kitchen wearily too see Linda McDrake laughing at Nosedive, who was rubbing his hair, getting out some of the cookie paste. It was in a type of buzz cut that one of his friends from school had given him as a prank. The ten-year-old hated it with a passion, and now he was grumbling about the paste as he looked at his brother with a blush. "Hey big bro." He muttered. Wildwing lifted a hand in a wave as he pulled out a chair from the kitchen table and sat down. Then he rested his head on the table as Linda washed her hands.

"You feeling any better honey?" she asked him. He muttered something and she looked over at him confused. Nosedive sat next to his brother, quieting as he stared at him.

"You still getting sick big bro?" he asked. Another muttered reply and Nosedive looked up at Linda. "He said yeah." He told her matter-of-factly. Linda made a face at him and he shrugged, scooting closer to his brother and leaning his head on the table as well as he watched Wildwing. A moment later the twenty-year-old looked over at his younger brother.

"You gonna keep doing that?" he muttered. Nosedive grinned cheekily at him, snickering.

"Uh-huh." He nodded, gaining a grin from Linda. Wildwing gave the boy a weak smile, then sat up coughing.

"Man, I hate being sick." He muttered. Nosedive sat up as well, watching his brother quietly.

"Want some cookie paste?" he asked. Wildwing moaned and leaned forward, clutching his stomach.

"Don't mention food!" he groaned. Nosedive made a face.

"Then why are you in the kitchen?"

"Shut-up! The living room smells like popcorn." Wildwing muttered. Linda made a face.

"Ray must have watched a movie earlier." She told him. "Sorry Wildwing." Wildwing merely grunted something as he leaned forward again, resting once more on the table. It was then that Ray walked in, eyeing Wildwing.

"You okay son?" he asked. Then he looked back at the stairs as Wildwing sighed. "How'd you make it down the stairs?" he asked.

"I carried him." Nosedive grinned. "Didn't you know? I'm Drake DuCaine incarnate!!" he exclaimed. Ray laughed at him and rubbed the boy's head.

"Alright 'DuCaine'. How about you help me clean up in the living room so your brother can lie down eh?" he asked jokingly. Nosedive leapt up.

"Okay!" he exclaimed happily. "But just so you know, Wildwing thinks it stinks in there."

"I can handle that. Come on." Ray grinned. As he and Nosedive left the kitchen, Wildwing looked up and watched them go, and uneasy look on his face. Linda watched him as she spooned cookie paste onto a cookie sheet.

"Wildwing?" she asked, causing him to look at her. "You sure you're alright?" he regarded her quietly for a moment, then rubbed his face as he sighed.

"I'm sorry." He muttered. Linda frowned.

"What's wrong?" she asked. He gave her a confused look.

"What makes you think anything's wrong?" he asked. Her frown deepened.

"Wing." He winced at her tone and ran a hand through his hair.

"I just…" he stopped and she sighed this time.

"Still don't trust us?" she asked him. He shook his head.

"It's not that." He muttered. He rubbed his face. "It's just that… I'm scared… that's all…" he quieted and Linda gave him an odd look. He shook his head. "Can we just leave it at that for now please?" he begged. She nodded and enveloped him in a hug, then looked up as Nosedive came into the room.

"Done!" he exclaimed happily, Ray following him.

"Come on Wing. Let's get you situated in there." The elder mallard said, a hand on the mallards shoulder.

"Do we have anything for a head ache?" Wildwing muttered as he stood. Linda walked over and opened one of her cabinets and frowned.

"No. And I'm out of drinks." She told him unhappily. "Guess I'll have to go to the store."

"Can I go with you?" Nosedive asked.

"Sure."

"Yea!"

"I'll check on your cookies." Ray promised Linda as he maneuvered Wildwing to the living room, where the young mallard basically fell onto the couch wearily and closed his eyes. He was out a moment later. Linda nodded, leading Nosedive to the closet where they grabbed their jackets.

"We'll be back soon." She promised. Nosedive grinned.

"Can we get some of those gummy candies?" he asked her as she headed out the front door.

"No."

"Aw please?"

"I'll think about it."

"Ooh yea! That usually means yes!" there was a sigh as the door closed behind the boy and Ray watched them go, an uneasy feeling settling on him for some odd reason. He shook it off and looked down at Wildwing. The white mallard was frowning in his sleep, as if something were bothering him. Ray turned away. Better get a cold cloth for the fever.

O.o

"Can I go look at the comic books?" Linda looked at Nosedive as he stared at the magazine rack an aisle over. She shook her head.

"We don't really have time. I just want to get what we need and go honey." She told him. He pouted but nodded anyway.

"Okay." He muttered. Then he looked up at the medicines in front of them. "Wings allergic to avada seed."

"Oh thanks for telling me that. I was going to get something that had that as a main ingredient. That wouldn't be good…"

"No problem." He stepped back, watching her look at the shelves of the medications before them. He sighed and began rolling on the balls of his feet as she finally picked something and began looking at the ingredients on it. Then she turned and smiled at him.

"This should do." She told him happily. "Come on, let's go pay for all of this." She said, indicating the basket of goods she held on her arm.

"Whoo!" Nosedive exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air and walking with her to the cash registers. "Movement!" Linda smirked at him and shook her head.

"Nosedive, you are a mess."

"No I'm not. I'm actually a very clean and organized duck thank you! Well… organized in my own way anyway."

"So those piles of junk in your room…"

"Junk!" Nosedive gasped loudly, spinning to look at her with wide aghast eyes, a hand over his heart. "You pain me woman! I have no… junk!" Linda chuckled at him as he grinned mischievously, his eyes sparking as they usually did when he was in a playful mood. "I merely have my little mounds of treasures that I have deemed too important to discard, thank you very much!" he claimed. Linda shook her head, laughing at him and causing him to snicker back at her.

"Go on," she said, shoving his shoulder lightly as she got at the back of the rather long line. "Go find you a comic. Looks like we'll be here for a while." She muttered. With a cheer, Nosedive turned and ran towards the magazine rack, Linda calling after him. "And be quick about it! This line can move pretty fast!"

"Okay!" was Nosedive's reply. Linda sighed and turned, making a face at the row of ducks before her.

"Move fast. Right… I wish." She muttered. With another sigh she made herself as comfortable as she could as the woman at the head of the line finally pulled out a checking folder. Great… This was going to take all of eternity…

^-^

"Ooooh! The Masked Duck of El Rio Frio!" Nosedive exclaimed, grabbing a comic and opening it. He sighed and rolled his eyes after one look. "Darn. I forgot I had this one." He muttered, putting the comic back.  
"Masked Duck… That's a nice comic." A deep voice behind him said calmly. Nosedive turned, startled, to see a tall brown-feathered mallard grinning at him. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a white shirt, which was un-tucked, his hands in his pockets. "I've been collecting that one since they started the series." He said, reaching past Nosedive and picking up the comic. Nosedive regarded him quietly for a moment, unsure of whether or not to speak to the larger and older mallard. The guy had to be around Ray's age, maybe a little younger but he wasn't sure, and anyway, Wing had always warned him never to talk to strangers. But this guy didn't seem that bad… and yet he still made the ten-year-old nervous. Nosedive merely opted to nod at the larger duck and watch him quietly. The duck frowned.

"Hmm." He muttered. "Seems they forgot to put out the new issues they got last week."

"Last week?" Nosedive asked, throwing his earlier caution to the wind. The older mallard nodded.

"Yeah, I have a friend who works in the back and I was helping him the day they got the newer issues in." he said, replacing the comic and then turning to Nosedive. "You wanna go to the back with me and see if we can get this sorted out?" he asked. Nosedive nodded.

"Yeah! I wanna see the next issue!" he exclaimed happily, following the brown drake away.

"Yeah. From what I saw it's a pretty good issue. Hey, the names Mack Thompson. What's yours?" the drake asked, stopping for a moment and looking at the blonde.

"Nosedive McDrake."

"Huh, well, nice to meet you Nosedive." Mack said, sticking out his hand. Nosedive shook it, and then the two continued to the rear of the store. As they walked through the back doors, Mack grinned down at Nosedive. "So… how old are you kid?"

"I'm ten."

"Really? You looked twelve to me." 

"Really? Well gee… thanks…" The doors closed and the two ducks disappeared into the back room.

o.o

"Where is he?" Linda looked around, a plastic bag in one hand, her other hand balled into a nervous fist near her beak. She looked at the manager of the store worriedly. "Can you call for him again please?" she asked. He sighed.

"Ma'am, we've called three times. I doubt he's still in the store if he hasn't come by now." He told her, then smiled comfortingly. "Look, he probably just ran outside to play with some friends."

"But I would have seen him!" Linda stressed. "I was in line, right there! He would have had to go past me to go outside!" she ran a shaky hand through her red hair. "Look, could you please just call him one last time? He's… he has to be in the store somewhere. I mean, he just went to look at some comics… he's not a bad kid he would have told me if he was going somewhere else!" she exclaimed. The store manager nodded at her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Ma'am, just calm down. You're right. He's probably running around in the store somewhere, I'll call again and I'll even get one of my guys to go look for him. Okay?" he asked. She nodded as the white feathered mallard walked away, only to stop as a young worker ran up to him speaking in rapid hushed tones. The elder mallard frowned, then turned to Linda. "Ma'am? Art just found something on the camera's that you might want to check out." He told her. "Come with me." He gently took her by the arm and she followed him curiously, her stomach dropping from worry. He led her to a room in the front of the store where a security guard was nodding at a screen.

"We checked the surveillance equipment when the kid didn't show up." The large brown feathered mallard. He pressed the play button and the screen changed from snow to a gray video of shoppers roaming around the aisles. Nosedive walked from off screen over to a rack of magazines. A while later a drake joined him. After a few moments of conversation the two walked away together.

"Looks like they headed to the back of the store." The manager stated.

"B-but… I don't understand. Why would he just walk off with some stranger? He knows better!" Linda exclaimed, looking at the three drakes, her eyes widening with panic.

"Now don't worry Ma'am. We'll find your son. Maybe the guy was just showing him to the bathrooms or something." The manager said calmly. He looked over at the young worker. "Art, go back there and see if you can find that kid… what was his name?"

"Nosedive. Nosedive McDrake." Linda said quickly. Art nodded.

"Alright." He said before taking off. The security guard turned to Linda.

"Mrs. McDrake? You do realize that if the boy is missing that you have to wait twenty-four hours in order to file a missing persons report." He asked. Linda gave him a startled look.

"What?! Missing…"

"Ma'am… this is just a worst case scenario he's giving you." The store manager said quickly. "If anything, he probably thought you went home and is already there." Linda looked at him quietly, her heart racing.

"I'm going to call my husband." She said quickly.

"You can use my phone."

O.O

Wildwing looked up from his nap as Ray picked up the cordless phone and shrugged at him.

"Guess they got caught in traffic or something." The elder mallard grinned, then spoke into the phone. A strange look crossed his face and he walked out of the room. "Linda… Linda calm down. What are you rambling on about?" Wildwing heard him ask. He sighed when someone began knocking on the front door.

"I'll get it." He called as he stood. Ray merely nodded at him and continued trying to calm his wife over the phone. "Bet she forgot her wallet or something…" Wildwing muttered wearily as he opened the door and grinned at the tan mallard standing there. "Hey Canard." Canard nodded at him.

"Hey Wing. Feeling any better?"

"I will if Linda and Nosedive ever get back with some pain killers." 

"Bet Nosedive wanted to get a comic." Canard muttered as Wildwing moved for him to enter. Wildwing shook his head slowly. 

"I wouldn't doubt it…" he went to shut the door and stopped when Ray grabbed his arm, his jacket in one hand.

"Wildwing, will you be alright on your own for a little while?" the elder mallard asked, his face darkened. Wildwing blinked at him in confusion.

"Well, yeah… why?" he asked.

"Something's come up. I'm going downtown to meet your mother." Ray said quickly, pushing past the two young mallards.

"Come up? What are you talking about?" Wildwing asked worriedly.

"Nosedive's gone missing. He's probably somewhere near the grocery store, but your mother didn't see him leave. I'm going to go help look for him." Ray told him. At Wildwing's panicked look he shook his head. "Nosedive's probably running around with some of the kids downtown. We'll find him. You two stay here." He ordered. Then he ran out, shutting the door behind him. Wildwing stared at the door worriedly, then looked at Canard, panic rising. Canard merely shrugged.

"He's probably in a comic shop. Don't worry about him." He said carelessly. Wildwing sighed, then nodded slowly.

"Yeah…" he muttered, then he put a hand to his head. "Yeah, you're right. Man… I gotta sit down." He muttered. Canard took him by the arm and guided him back to the couch.

"Don't pass out on me buddy." He joked. "Or I'll go and get my dad 'cause I am *not* giving you beak to beak." He grinned as Wildwing plopped down. The white mallard made a face and threw a couch pillow at him.

"Get out of here." He groaned as Canard laughed and dodged.

"You want anything oh sacred sick one?" he asked laughingly.

"Yeah… pain killers." Wildwing muttered, then quieted as a sinking feeling settled in. Silently he prayed his parents would find Nosedive and bring him home.

o.o

It was late in the evening when his foster parents finally returned, and by then worry was eating him whole and even knawing on Canard, both young mallards standing when the door opened. Their hearts dropped however when only Linda and Ray walked in, Linda immediately heading to Wildwing and wrapping her arms around him sobbing.

"I'm sorry." She cried, over and over. He had to pry her off of him, looking at Ray panicked as she continued to cry.

"Where's Nosedive?" Wildwing asked worriedly. Ray merely shook his head, refusing to answer. "Where is he?"

"We don't know." Ray said quietly. "We believe he was kidnapped. The authorities decided to go ahead and start looking for him, since they have a suspect, but…" he shook his head again and walked over, taking his wife in his arms as she sobbed uncontrollably. Wildwing stared at them in shock, unbelieving the picture before him. His legs gave out from beneath him and he sat down hard on the floor suddenly, Canard crying out for him and his parents kneeling beside him.

"Wildwing?" Ray asked, then quieted and put his arms around the white mallard as Wildwing finally wept.

"Oh God… where is my brother?" the choked question went unanswered and Canard looked out the front window uncomfortably. He sighed as he remembered what he'd told Wildwing when he'd arrived. '…probably in a comic shop. Don't worry about him.' If only…

O.O

Nosedive pressed himself hard against the wall of the house he'd been brought to, his eyes wide with fear and pain as the large drake before him grinned down at him darkly.

"Oh come on Nosedive. It's just a bit of fun…" Mack was saying.

"No! Stay away from me! Don't touch me! WING!!!!!" the last part came out as a scream.

O.O

Wildwing sat up straight, nearly leaping out of his bed.

"Nosedive?" he called, looking around in the darkness of his room. Confusion swept across his face. He could have sworn he'd heard Nosedive crying out for him. He sighed and leaned forward, putting a hand to his head. Seemed that he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. "Oh man… Nosedive, where are you?" he muttered with a sigh, rubbing his forehead. He sniffled and got out of bed, heading down stairs slowly for some painkillers. His fever hadn't gone down any, and it was making him dizzy.

Once at the bottom of the stairs, Wildwing stiffened, a far away look coming to his eyes. In his mind, a picture of his home neighborhood appeared as if he were looking at it from the sky. Suddenly it shot away, almost as if he were climbing in altitude, the ground beneath him moving fast and then coming up quick. Now he was right above the city, near the downtown hockey rink. The ground spun around as if he were turning, showing him the surroundings, then it was torn away and he was on the ground as buildings flashed past him, even though he was standing still. Again the surroundings stopped moving and started turning around him slowly, showing a run down part of the city. Then the buildings flew up to him, one in particular. A dark brown house where inside, was Nosedive and some other duck... hurting the young blonde duck.

Suddenly Wildwing was back in his house, his breath come in quick, sharp gasps as he looked around with wild eyes. Forgetting his fever he ran to the closet and threw it open, grabbing his shoes and throwing them on, as well as his jacket. Then he went out the door, allowing it to slam behind him. Upstairs, Ray looked up startled, sleep clinging to him and he sighed.

"Stupid neighbors." He mumbled, laying his head back down and falling back asleep.

O.O

Canard groaned as pounding came again on the front door.

"I'll get it Dad!" he called as he headed down the stairs. A grunt was the only reply he got from his father, the elder mallard worn from searching for the missing Nosedive. Half the mallards in the neighborhood had gotten together with Ray McDrake and helped the authorities search for the missing child downtown, but none had seen him or the mallard he'd been taped walking away with at the store.

The pounding was growing more insistent, almost breaking the door down when Canard finally reached it. He swung the door open quickly in anger, then stepped back in surprise.

"Wildwing?! What the heck…"

"Shh…" Wildwing hissed, grabbing the tans mallards beak tightly, keeping it shut. "Get your shoes and your jacket. We're going to get Nosedive." He growled darkly, his eyes dangerous. He released his hold on Canard, only to have his friend give him an odd look.

"Wing? Are you sure you're alright?" he asked.

"Shoes. Jacket. Now." Was Wildwing's tight reply. Canard gave him a startled look, then nodded, backing away.

"Uh, yeah… Okay…"

Five minutes later found him and Wildwing skating through the downtown streets quickly and quietly, Canard wondering if it were the fever that was causing Wildwing to act so strangely.

"Wing… are you sure you know where you're going?" he asked in exasperation. Wildwing merely skated to the entrance of the rink and stopped, looking around, a far away look coming to his eyes as he suddenly went rigid. Canard frowned in confusion, coming closer to his friend. "Wildwing?" he stopped when Wildwing suddenly snapped his head in the tan mallards direction, the dangerous look in his eyes.

"Come on." Was the gruff reply. He started off, only to have Canard stop him by grabbing his arm.

"Wait. Wildwing, are you insane? We're out here in the middle of the night, looking for a kid that *nobody* has been able to find! What makes you think that we're going to do any better?" Canard asked. At Wildwing's look he frowned. "Okay, if you *do* find him, what are you going to do, huh? If he was kidnapped, we're going to have to deal with the guy who took him. So tell me, how in the heck do you plan on doing that?" Wildwing regarded him coolly for a moment, then turned, looking at the hockey rink.

"Come with me." Was all he said as he skated away. Canard sighed.

"Man, I am so going to regret this in the morning. My Dad's gonna' kill me!" He muttered, following his friend into the hockey rink.

O.O

"GET OFF ME! LET ME GO!! GET AWAY FROM ME!! STOP TOUCHING ME!!" Nosedive screamed, tears in his eyes and falling down bruised cheeks. Mack growled and finally backed away from the child and tossed the now ripped clothing back to him.

"Fine you stupid little ****." He spat as Nosedive merely curled into himself, shaking like a leaf. The larger mallard walked away and over to a cooler in a corner of the one room house. It was more of a cabin and was in the older part of town. No one lived here anymore as it was now mostly used as a historical division of town so the people could remember what the city had been like before the technological advances had been brought in. Mack plopped himself down in a chair, one of the two pieces of furniture in the house, and regarded Nosedive with a dark gaze, a beer in hand. "You've got five minutes, then I start again." He warned with a sickening smile.

"Please…" Nosedive whimpered, his eyes fevered. "Let me go…"

"Let you go?" Mack asked. "Why? Aren't you having fun?" he started laughing and then quieted as he took a swallow of his drink. Nosedive merely whimpered and hid his face as he cried.

"Wing…" he whispered. Mack merely watched him uncaringly, focusing more on his drink than the beaten and battered child before him. Suddenly the front window exploded in a shower of glass, a little black projectile bouncing off the back wall and flying into Mack's beer bottle, shattering it upon impact. He stood, shocked.

"WHAT THE HECK?!?!" he screamed as Nosedive cried out fearfully. The boy seemed unaware of what was happening around him, but only knew that Mack was standing and walking near him… Mack cried out as a puck slammed into his chest, knocking him backwards and causing stars to burst before his eyes as he was slammed into the wall behind him. Something, or someone, burst through the front door, sending splinters everywhere. Mack merely shook his head and looked up to see a tan mallard glaring at him dangerously, a hockey stick in hand.

"Don't move." He growled. Mack merely looked at him startled, then looked to see a white mallard kneeling next to the child he'd taken that morning.

"Nosedive?" the mallard was asking, his eyes wide with worry for the young duck sobbing before him.

"WILDWING!!" the boy cried loudly, pressing himself further against the wall as he was sitting on a make shift bed. The white mallard stood and put his arms around the naked child.

"It's me Nosedive. I'm here." Were the soothing words of the white mallard as he began pulling at the sheets on the bed and wrapping them around the boy. Nosedive merely whimpered and looked around with fevered eyes fearfully. When Wildwing finished wrapping him in a blanket and lifted him up, he clung to his brother, whimpering fearfully. He cried out and pressed himself into his brother when Wildwing neared Canard, causing Canard to start in surprise.

"Wing…" he muttered, looking up at his friend. "We've go to get him to a hospital." Mack merely glared at them.

"Who do you think you kids are?" he growled. Wildwing shot him a dangerous look.

"I'm his brother." He snarled, Nosedive clinging to him and sobbing like a young child. With a nasty look, Canard pulled back his stick and hit Mack up side the head once, harshly, knocking the older mallard unconscious.

"Let's get out of here Wing." Was the only thing the tan mallard said. As they left the house and the dangerous mallard behind, Wildwing smirked.

"Nice slap shot."

"Why thank you. I learned from the best." Was Canard's reply as he looked back at the busted window and door. Wildwing's slap shot was powerful, having broken the window. "Man, am I glad that you play goalie. I wouldn't survive against you in the rink for a second!" a dry chuckle was Wildwing's only reply. Both of them missed the figure watching them from the rooftops as they headed away.

O.O

The phone ringing awoke them both from a troubled sleep, Ray reaching over and turning on the bedside lamp before picking up the phone.

"Hullo?" he asked, his voice dulled from sleep. After a moment he shot straight up in bed, his eyes wide as he became fully alert. "WHAT?!" he cried, Linda looking at him dully, her eyes still red from crying herself to sleep. "No… no, we're on our way. Yes… thank you." Ray hung up the phone and looked at his wife. "Nosedive's in the hospital, they found him." He exclaimed hurriedly. Linda shot up in bed.

"I'll go get Wildwing." She said.

"No need."

"What?"

"He was the one who brought Nosedive in!"

"What?!"

"I'll explain on the way. Come on!" with that Ray leapt out of bed, his wife in tow. Quickly they put on their street clothes, then hurried out the door, both nearly forgetting their jackets in the rush to get to their children.

O.O

"Stars, I don't believe this…" Ray muttered as he and Linda rushed down a hall in the hospital. Rounding a corner they nearly ran into Canard, who was standing with his legs spread, his hands clasped behind his back, and his head bowed as his father chastised him from running off on his own. Linda and Ray looked at the two startled as they looked up at them, then went back to what they had been doing a moment before, General Thunderbeak talking in hushed tones. He almost seemed to be hissing at his son, when suddenly he grabbed the young mallard in a hug. Ray looked at his wife, then cleared his throat, gaining attention once more.

"Okay…" he growled, his face serious. "What happened, and why in the world did you and Wildwing run off?" he asked.

"Where is Wildwing? Where's Nosedive?" Linda asked before any answer could be given to Ray's question. Canard looked at his father, then Ray, then Linda.

"Wildwing's in one of the emergency rooms." He said softly, his hands at his sides, his eyes nervous. "When we got here, he got them to take Nosedive, and we went to wait in the waiting room. We were there for a few minutes before he started getting sick… he passed out." He told them. "His fever got too high."

"Oh stars…" Linda's hands flew to her beak. "Is he okay?"

"I think so. They said they'd take care of him." Canard told her.

"What about Nosedive? Where is he? Can we see him? Is he alright?" her questions came quickly, leaving no room for answer. Canard's father walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"I think we should go sit down." He said calmly. Linda stared at him, her eyes confused, Ray looking at the larger tan mallard without emotion. He moved his gaze to Canard.

"Where was he Canard?" he asked. Canard shook his head.

"Somewhere in the historic district." He muttered.

"What was he doing there?!" Linda cried. Canard's father began moving her towards the waiting room, spinning her around and putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Come along Linda." He said calmly. "We'll tell you everything once you sit…"

"NO!" she cried, breaking away from him. "Where's my son? What has happened to him?"

"Ma'am…" a female duck in a surgeon's suit walked over quickly, a clipboard in hand. "Please quiet down, we've got patients who are trying to sleep…"

"I want my sons." Linda hissed, Ray putting an arm around her and glaring at the doctor before him. The woman sighed and shook her blonde head.

"Are you the McDrake's?" she asked.

"Yes. Now where are our sons?" Ray asked, his temper rising. The woman before them frowned.

"The elder is in emergency room six being treated for fever, and the younger is in emergency room nine being treated for…" she made a face and then sighed. "Ma'am, let's get to the waiting area, you need to both be sitting for this." She warned them. Linda stared at her, startled, then looked at her husband, the two of them sharing worried looks. She nodded slowly, then looked back at the young woman before her.

"Okay." She said quietly. Then she and her husband allowed themselves to be led to a small room with a couch and a few chairs. Linda and Ray sat on the couch as Canard stood in the doorway, leaning on the door panel with a pained expression on his face as his father sat down in an empty chair, his elbows resting on his knees as he leaned forward with his hands clasped together. The expression on his face was grim, proving totally that the news to be heard was not good. The doctor pulled up a chair and sat down before them, then took a deep breath before beginning.

"Your youngest son has several bruises, some abrasions, a black eye… fortunately he has no broken bones, however… ma'am, sir, I'm not sure how to tell this to you nicely, but the man who abducted your son not only beat him…" she sighed again and ran a hand through her hair. "Your youngest son was raped." She said softly. The reaction was almost instant. Linda paled, her grip on Ray tightening as he stiffened. "Ma'am?" the young doctor asked worriedly. There came a choked cry as Linda finally sobbed, Ray holding her.

"Is he okay?" Ray asked quietly.

"We're not sure. He hasn't been aware of where he is since his brother brought him in, but otherwise he's sure to make a full recovery. He may need psychological therapy…" Ray shook his head as Linda buried her face in his shoulder.

"What about the guy who did this. What have they done with him?" he asked darkly.

"That B.O.B. guy left him gift wrapped at the jail just a little while ago." Canard's father said with a smirk. "He was wearing a bright pink bow and everything. Bob beat him up pretty bad." He looked up and frowned when he realized that his son was grinning. The grin quickly disappeared however and was replaced with a calm look.

"Can we see Nosedive?" Ray asked.

"In a moment. I'll come get you when they put him in a room."

"Would it be too much if we asked that he be roomed with his brother?" Linda asked, sniffling. The young woman blinked in confusion.

"Ma'am?"

"Well, it's just that… that whenever Nosedive's upset about something he goes straight to his brother. Maybe if he's roomed with Wildwing it will help?" Linda asked.

"Yeah." Canard added, gaining attention. "When we found Nosedive, he recognized Wildwing. It probably would be a good idea if he was with his brother, then he wouldn't panic so much." He told them. The young doctor nodded in consent.

"Alright then. I'll see that they're roomed together." She stood. "Please stay here till I return. Then I'll show you to your son's room." She told them. Then she left, leaving four ducks to wait in worry.

o.o

"AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! NOOOOO!!" Wildwing sat up startled as a loud cry and then sob resonated throughout the house. After a moment the sound of running feet hit his ears, and his bedroom door flung open as Nosedive raced in, tears in his eyes and streaking down his cheeks. The white mallard grunted as his brother leapt onto his bed and slammed into his chest. Nosedive wrapped his arms around his brother as he sobbed uncontrollably. Slowly, Wildwing hugged his brother back, whispering soothing words of comfort as he heard his parents bedroom door open.

Two weeks had passed since they'd been released from the hospital, nearly three weeks since the abduction. Since then nearly every night was interrupted by Nosedive's cries of fear and sometimes pain.

"Nosedive? Wildwing?" Linda walked in, finishing tying her robe around her as Ray followed sleepily. Nosedive whimpered, then turned to look at her. Suddenly he flung himself from his brother and into her arms as she neared him, nearly knocking her onto the floor.

"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry! I'llneverleaveyoursideagainI'msorry!" he wailed. It was the same every night, and as usual Linda wrapped her arms around her adopted son and kneeled on the floor, shushing him and rocking him back and forth as she held him close to her.

"No." she whispered. "It's not your fault sweetheart. It's alright. Don't be sorry. It's okay." Wildwing threw off his covers as his adopted father kneeled next to Linda and Nosedive, putting a hand on the boy's back comfortingly.

"It's alright Nosedive. You're safe now." Ray whispered, as Wildwing settled himself on the floor with his family.

"Everything's okay now Dive." Wildwing added with a smile, rubbing his brother's head and tossing the longer hair around. It was growing out from the buzz cut, and during the day Nosedive swore never to let scissors near his head again. Now, however, Nosedive merely sniffled and looked at his brother as he rested his head on his mothers shoulder.

"Do you remember anything Nosedive?" Ray asked quietly. "If you do, it would probably be helpful if you told us." Wildwing looked at his father, then at his brother. Nosedive merely shook his head, turning and burying his head in his mothers embrace. Here he was safe, just as he was when in the arms of Wildwing… and even Ray. A hand was placed on his head but he didn't move, for a voice spoke out in a prayer for him. The voice was Ray's, only to be joined by Linda's and soon Wildwing's. To this Nosedive fell asleep once more. This time to a dreamless sleep unhindered by memories that faded away into the catacombs of his mind where they would be left untouched and hopefully, locked away for eternity.

Here he was safe, in the arms of his family. All thanks to Wildwing, his brother; and as long as his brother was here he was safe. He would always be safe.

**__**

END


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